Housing for electronic lock

ABSTRACT

A housing assembly adapted to fit into a mortised recess in a door is provided for accommodating components of an electronic lock mechanism. The housing assembly comprises a housing including opposed major side walls at least partially defining an opening into the housing. A circuit board comprising electronic circuitry for operating the lock mechanism is disposed in the housing. A bracket for holding batteries is adapted to be disposed in the opening in the housing. The bracket is accessible when the housing is in the mortised recess of the door such that the bracket is movable relative to the housing between a first position and a second position. In the first position the bracket is in the housing and in the second position the bracket is at least partially outside of the housing such that batteries may be inserted into or removed from the bracket.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to electronic locks for doors, and moreparticularly to a housing assembly for an electronic lock foraccommodating the electronics and power supply of the electronic lock.

Electronic locks for doors and exit device trim are generally of twotypes: those with the electronics and a power supply housed in a mortiseassembly, a mortise-type lock, or in an escutcheon assembly, anescutcheon-type lock. A mortise assembly includes a rectangular housing,or case, which is designed to fit into a mortised recess formed in anedge of a door which is opposite to the edge of the door that is hingedto a door frame. When used in a mortise assembly, the electronics andpower supply components are usually positioned to reduce the size of thepocket required in the door either vertically and/or horizontally. Themortise pocket is generally of a unique size that is specific to theelectronics housing used. This presents an undesirable condition to doormanufacturers and installers who must create a unique mortise geometryfor each product. Moreover, maintenance of the lock, including simplereplacement of the batteries, cannot be accomplished without opening themortise lock case, making routine tasks complicated and difficult.

When the electronics and power supply are used in an escutcheon, thecomponents are installed within an escutcheon housing, or trim plate, onthe outside of the door. The aesthetics are less than desirable sincethe housing necessarily projects farther from the door surface andgenerally is positioned above the lock trim or exit device. Thispositioning can preclude the use of auxiliary hardware, and isinherently less vandal resistant by its visibility and accessibility onthe surface of the door.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an arrangement for anelectronic lock which is less complicated and more convenient thanconventional locks. Ideally, the new arrangement allows ready fieldmaintenance of the electronic components after the lock is installed ina door.

SUMMARY

According to the present invention, a housing assembly adapted to fitinto a mortised recess formed in an edge of a door is provided foraccommodating components of an electronic lock mechanism, including theelectronic circuitry for operating the lock mechanism. The housingassembly comprises a housing including opposed major side walls at leastpartially defining an opening into the housing. A circuit boardcomprising electronic circuitry for operating the lock mechanism isdisposed in the housing. A bracket for holding batteries is adapted tobe disposed in the opening in the housing. Means are provided forelectrically connecting the bracket and the circuit board. The bracketis accessible when the housing is in the mortised recess of the doorsuch that the bracket is movable relative to the housing between a firstposition and a second position so that in the first position the bracketis in the housing and in the second position the bracket is at leastpartially outside of the housing such that batteries may be insertedinto or removed from the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, referenceshould now be had to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawingsand described below.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of anelectronics housing assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electronics housingassembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the electronics housing assemblyaccording to the present invention installed within a mortise in a door;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the electronics housing assembly asshown in FIG. 3 showing removal of the trim plate to access the batterypack; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the electronics housing assembly asshown in FIG. 3 showing removal of the battery pack.

DESCRIPTION

The electronics housing assembly according to the present invention maybe used with any conventional electronic lock assembly such as, forexample, a mortise lock and an escutcheon type lock. Accordingly,detailed explanations of the functioning of all of the electronic lockcomponents are deemed unnecessary for understanding of the presentinvention by one of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of an electronics housingassembly according to the present invention is shown and is generallydesignated by reference numeral 30. The housing assembly 30 comprises agenerally rectangular box, or case 32, for housing the electroniccomponents. The case 32 includes two major side walls 40, 44 and anintegral bottom wall 42 and a rear wall. The front of the case 32 andtwo vertically extending tabs 48 define a rectangular opening 45 in thefront of the case 32. A face plate 46 is adapted to be secured to upperand lower tabs 48 with screws. As shown in FIG. 1, the case 32 isadapted to be received within a mortise 34 in the free, or unhinged,edge 36 of a door 38.

An example of the electronic components for use in the electronicshousing assembly 30 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 anddesignated generally at 50. The electronic components 50 comprise acircuit board 52 and an electrical power supply unit in the form of amulti-battery pack 54. The circuit board 52 is a conventional circuitboard upon which the electronic circuitry of the electronically operatedlock mechanism is mounted. The circuit board 52 and the other electroniccomponents of the electronic circuitry are affixed to the surface of ametallic plate 56.

The battery pack 54 comprises a battery bracket 58 adapted toaccommodate six AA batteries 59, three on each side of the bracket 58.The circuit board 52 and the other electronic components of theelectronic circuitry are powered by batteries 59. Electrical powerconnection to the printed circuit board 70 is facilitated by two wiresextending from the battery bracket 58.

The battery pack 54 is mounted in the front opening 45 of the case 32adjacent to the circuit board 52. The length of the bracket 58 isslightly greater than the height of the front opening 45 of the case 32,which helps retain the battery pack 54 within the case 32 immediatelyadjacent to the front opening 45 of the case 32. Inwardly extendingtongue portions 60 are punched into the case 32 at a point spaced fromthe front opening 45 of the case 32. The inner edge of the battery pack54 engages the tongue portions 60 for firmly supporting the battery pack54 within the case 32. With the battery pack 54 inside the case 32 andthe case 32 within the mortise 34, the face plate 46 is securelyattached to the tabs 48 for enclosing the electronic lock circuitrywithin the edge 36 of the door 38 (FIG. 3). A suitable low voltage wire(not shown) can extend through any hole in the case 32 for electricallyconnecting the electronic components to the door lock. The wire may beprovided with a polarized plug and socket connectors allowing modularassembly of the components.

In order to replace the batteries 59, the battery pack 54 is removablefrom the opening 45 in the front of the case 32. It is first necessaryto remove the face plate 46 from the tabs 48 to expose the front of thecase 32 and rendering the battery pack accessible through the opening 45in the front of the case 32. Since the battery pack 54 is slightlylonger than the height of the opening 45 in the case 32, the batterypack 54 must first be tilted with respect to the case in order to clearthe upper tab 48. The battery pack 54 may then be manually pulled fromthe case 32. The batteries 59 are now accessible via the opposed slotsdefined by the bracket 54. The user manually depresses the batteries 59against the force of the coil contact springs (not shown) in the base ofthe battery bracket 58 for removing the batteries 59. Rotating thebracket 58 exposes the batteries 59 on the rear of the bracket.

The bracket is inserted into the case 32 in the reverse order asdescribed above. First, the upper end of the bracket 54 is inserted intothe case 32 behind the upper 48 and lower end of the bracket 54 movedinto the opening 45 until the inner edge of the bracket 54 and innerbatteries are positioned adjacent the supporting tongue portions 60.Because the battery bracket 54 can pivot and move inwardly with respectto the case 32, the battery pack 54 is easily manipulated during removaland reinsertion. When the battery pack 54 is again in the case 32, theface plate 56 is reattached.

Thus, in use, the electronics housing assembly according to the presentinvention provides a secure environment for the electronic components ofa door-installed electronically operated lock mechanism. Further, it isunderstood that the electronics housing assembly may be configured to beinstalled within either a mortise in the door stile or in an escutcheonhousing mountable to the exterior of the door.

Although the present invention has been shown and described inconsiderable detail with respect to only a few exemplary embodimentsthereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that we donot intend to limit the invention to the embodiments since variousmodifications, omissions and additions may be made to the disclosedembodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings andadvantages of the invention, particularly in light of the foregoingteachings. For example, the electronics housing assembly may be usefulwith any electronically operated mechanism remote from the housingassembly. Accordingly, we intend to cover all such modifications,omission, additions and equivalents as may be included within the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. In theclaims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structuresdescribed herein as performing the recited function and not onlystructural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, although anail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nailemploys a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas ascrew employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening woodenparts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.

1. A housing assembly adapted to fit into a mortised recess formed in anedge of a door for accommodating components of an electronic lockmechanism including the electronic circuitry for operating the lockmechanism, the housing assembly comprising: a housing including opposedmajor side walls at least partially defining an opening into thehousing; a circuit board disposed in the housing, the circuit comprisingelectronic circuitry for operating the lock mechanism; a bracket forholding batteries, the bracket adapted to be disposed in the opening inthe housing; and means for electrically connecting the bracket and thecircuit board, wherein the bracket is accessible when the housing is inthe mortised recess of the door, the bracket movable relative to thehousing between a first position and a second position so that in thefirst position the bracket is in the housing and in the second positionthe bracket is at least partially outside of the housing such thatbatteries may be inserted into or removed from the bracket.